The Laundry Night Hypothesis
by Maddy46
Summary: Penny likes Sheldon. Sheldon likes Penny. Simple right? Until we add Leonard into the equation. The story of Sheldon and Penny's growing love for one another.
1. Chapter 1

_AN-I have actually discovered that Penny's eyes seem to be more brown than green. As I was curious, I went to the BBT wikia and found the picture of Penny. Then I put it into Paint and used the colour picker. Yep, turns out they're brown… or at least that's how they are in the picture. If anyone has any reason to disagree, let me know, because I really am curious._

_Also, this one will be a longer chapter, I promise. I won't stop until it's at least three pages!_

_Disclaimer-I don't own Big Bang Theory._

* * *

Saturday was laundry night. Every week at 8:15. It was his time, alone, without having to put up with Leonard and his banal chit-chat about this, that and Penny. Between his futile daydreams about Penny, Howard's incessant droning about women, and Raj's drinking, he was more than happy to escape downstairs to do the laundry. More recently, he discovered that Penny, his exceedingly messy neighbour, also did her laundry on Saturday at 8:15, although hardly correct. Her detergent to clothing ratio was exceptionally off, she didn't wash according to the colours of the clothing, and she didn't pre-wash _or_ pre-soak. Most importantly, she didn't fold and organize her clothes once they were washed, and she used the time to convince him to do things he didn't want to do!

He always looked forward to Saturday night, but it used to be because he liked the solitude. If he was being honest with himself, he now looked forward to Saturday night because it was the one night that he and Penny spent together. Alone together - he always did like a good oxymoron. Although Penny was far less organised and often turned up closer to 8:20, they spent a substantial amount of time together, often talking about prosaic issues, which they often ended up solving. Often things would turn out good at the end of the night, but on occasions, that didn't happen.

* * *

Sheldon walked down the stairs on Saturday night at 8:15. I knew this because a) it happened every week and b) I was keeping an eye out for him. Since I wasn't sure if my clock was right after it had stopped working a few weeks ago, I used Sheldon as my clock. His routine was exact, and, when I couldn't be bothered finding my phone, or I had no idea where it was, I just checked what Sheldon was doing, and I knew what I should be doing. Plus, it gave me a good excuse to watch him.

Truth be known, there was a small spark that first day, I just didn't want to say anything before I got to know the two guys. It's a good thing I did, because I quickly discovered that Sheldon didn't date, or touch, or, in general, care; but I don't believe that, not entirely. I believe that he does, he just expresses it differently. For instance, he did lend me money when I needed it. After I knew he wasn't interested, I still liked him, but I didn't do anything about it. Except that I paid more attention to him. I even memorised the reason why he sat on the left-hand side of the couch! I sang Soft Kitty to him when he was sick, and I even called him sweetie!

I got my laundry and headed down as well. I always arrived about five minutes after Sheldon. It was my routine. I'd head down late, chuck my laundry into a machine, and then we'd talk until we were done. I even waited for him to finish his weird folding.

* * *

As Sheldon descended the stairs to the laundry, he wondered if Penny would be joining him. He knew she wouldn't be there early, she never was, but he also knew that she would join him. She always did, it was their, as today's slang goes, "thing".

When he got to the laundry, he began loading his washing into the machine, and measured out the exact amount of detergent. Penny then entered the room, and took the machine next to his. "Hey Sheldon!" she said sweetly. He looked up momentarily.

"Hello Penny," he replied nonchalantly, he looked back down, before quickly looking back up, "Penny, I assume you are just going to 'dump your clothes' into the machine, but I am requesting of you to sort them into colour groups and use the correct amount of detergent."

"Sure thing Sheldon," she said with a quick nod. She opened the machine next to Sheldon's, as usual, and dumped her clothes and some detergent into it. She saw Sheldon's face contort with derision as he shook his head. It was a look she had always, secretly, loved on Sheldon's face. "Penny, Penny, Penny," he said. She pretended not to hear him, even though she had heard every word, and seen every emotion flicker across his face. They stood in silence for a little while, before Penny broke it. "So I watched the Star Wars movies, and I'm not sure I fully understand them." Sheldon almost laughed.

"I'm not surprised. You lack an attention span that allows you to focus wholly on something that takes longer than shopping for shoes online."

"Yeah, well, anyway, I was wondering if you would, I don't know, maybe watch them with me?" Penny wasn't exactly lying. She really hadn't fully understood them, but what she was really asking was If Sheldon would spend some time with her. If she had asked anyone else, they would've asked if it was a date, but that was where Sheldon's complete and utter lack of social skills played to her advantage. "Penny, if I may ask, but when would this take place?" She sighed.

"Oh, I don't know Sheldon. Just sometime you're free." He was so difficult sometimes!

"Oh, well okay then," he paused momentarily, "I'm free now." This startled Penny slightly, but she wouldn't let him see that. "Well okay then. You just finish up your laundry and then we'll get started."

"Penny. Once I have 'finished up' I must first take my laundry to my apartment and put them away into their allotted places." Penny just nodded, and said, a tad sarcastically,

"Fine, Sheldon. You can put your laundry away first." Sheldon just nodded and Penny swore she saw a smile, and not a creepy Joker smile.

As Sheldon folded his washing, Penny threw hers into the basket. Sheldon used _Kolinahr _to stop himself from taking Penny's washing and folding it himself. As they walked up the stairs, Sheldon reminded himself of what happened throughout the Star Wars saga, not that he needed reminding. He had an eidetic memory, as well as a love for Star Wars, though not as strong as his love for Star Trek, which contributed to his exact memory of the Star Wars saga and its entirety.

* * *

Once Sheldon had organised his laundry, he told Leonard, Howard and Raj that he was going to watch Star Wars with Penny. "I'm going over to Penny's apartment to help her try to understand the Star Wars saga," he said. The guys barely flinched.

"Whatever," was Leonard's response. This shocked Sheldon. Leonard was infatuated with Penny, yet he didn't even move at the chance to spend time with her, perhaps he wasn't as close to understanding the social construct as he had thought. Instead of replying, he simply walked out the door to Penny's apartment. _Knock, knock, knock, _"Penny."_ Knock, knock, knock, _"Penny."_ Knock, knock, knock _"Penny."

"I hope he chokes on his popcorn," said Raj.

"We all do," said Howard, "except maybe Penny." This caught Leonard's attention.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well it's just a hunch, but I'd say Penny's got a thing for Sheldon, if you know what I mean," he said as he leaned forward. "What, no! That's ridiculous!" Leonard exclaimed.

"I don't know. They're always spending time together, and she always acts a little different around Sheldon," Raj added. Leonard, who was getting more and more jealous by the second, interjected. "That's because she hates him."

"I don't know dude, love and hate are very similar, and often easy to mistake for one another."

"Oh cut it with the Twilight lessons," Howard said. Leonard didn't hear half of the argument Raj and Howard were having, he was too caught up in his jealousy and his plan to determine if Penny did have a thing for his room-mate.

_

* * *

AN- So I started this off as a one-shot, but as I got further into it, it got more and more interesting for me to write, and I might make it a separate fic. So tell me what you think, but I'm pretty sure it'll come out of The SheldonPenny Paradox and turn into its own fic. Also, a poll update. Sheldon/Penny is winning with only one vote, so please look and vote, or just review with your choice (it doesn't have to be one on the poll). Oh, and please review! It took me a few days to write this, and I put a lot of effort into it, so I'd appreciate it if you read it, review it. Constructive criticism, ideas and plain feedback all welcome!_


	2. Chapter 2

_AN- I decided this would become a separate fic, because I was really interested to see what would happen. Also, I'd like to thank stock2007 and LA Apricot for your support. This chapter's for you! (I'm going to say sorry in advance though, it's not my best work.) I wrote this after school, and I was so bored I don't even know if it makes sense, but it should. It's not THAT bad._

_Disclaimer-I don't own Big Bang Theory. If I did, you know who would be together. ;)_

Penny had already loaded the movie and was making popcorn when Sheldon walked into her apartment. He actually had to do a double-take, something extremely rare for him to do, because Penny had actually cleaned. She smiled at his reaction, and noted that even his lips curved upwards slightly. "Stupid!" she chastised herself. She knew he didn't care for relationships, and her on/off relationship with his room-mate didn't help. Although, when they broke up, he had had dinner with her, and had to sneak out to do it. 'Maybe he does care,' she thought.

Sheldon looked over at Penny, wondering why she was calling herself stupid. Of course he knew she was, but he never thought she'd admit it. He couldn't help but notice that a little part of him didn't believe Penny was stupid, it thought she was actually very intelligent, but he closed himself off from that part of himself, and strode to the left-hand side of the couch. 'His spot, the spot Penny was always attracted to.' When he saw what movie she had loaded, he didn't know whether to smile or shake his head. 'The Phantom Menace,' although it was his favourite episode, he didn't understand how Penny didn't get it. He was running through the movie when Penny came back with a large bowl of popcorn. She started the movie, and Sheldon smiled. It was all obviously a façade, Penny was smiling and leaning forward slightly, and his limited knowledge of body language told him that Penny was eager to watch the movie again.

_\|/_

Howard was pressed up against Penny's apartment door, with Raj and Leonard close behind. Even though they all claimed they wanted to hear Sheldon choke on his popcorn, they all just wanted to hear if anything would "go on" between them. Howard turned around, "there's no choking yet, and it's almost finished," he said sadly. When he said choking, they all knew what he really meant. All a little disappointed, except Leonard, of course, they trudged back to 4A. They were all thinking different things, Raj- "That's too bad, they really should get together." Leonard- "I know they say opposites attract, but not when it comes to Penny and Sheldon!" and Howard- "I wonder if they'll let me back into the Genius Bar…"

_\|/_

By the end of the movie, Penny hadn't asked him a single question, further proving it was a sham. 'Penny might be an actress, but she won't get very far if she can't keep playing the part,' he thought to himself.

Penny was focussed on the part where she and Sheldon had both gone for popcorn at the same time, and their hands touched. He had jumped back a little, and was then careful to make sure they didn't do it again, and that was what made Penny sure he had felt "something" as well, 'or maybe he was just disgusted at the fact that they had touched,' she thought dryly. However, she was certain they had both felt something, only a small thing, like the awareness of that tiny part of them that had connected briefly, and had missed most of the movie as she thought. She only snapped back to reality when she heard Sheldon's voice. "Well Penny, that was most enjoyable, however, it is now time that I start my sleep preparations, and must go back to my apartment." He didn't wait for a reply, but she still managed to get one in.

_\|/_

Sheldon practically ran into his apartment. Leonard, Raj and Howard all watched confusedly, as he hurried past. They all looked at each other and quickly got up to 4B. Leonard knocked, and Penny answered, red in the face. "Hi, listen; do you what's up with Sheldon?" Leonard asked quickly, not wanting a greeting. Penny turned redder, and shut the door in his face. "God, I've wanted to do that," she thought to herself. Still confused, they returned to 4A, hoping Sheldon would be able to provide an explanation. When they saw him already in bed, they knew they weren't getting any information, and decided to wait until tomorrow.

_\|/_

Sheldon couldn't sleep. It was obvious why, and could be summed up into one word-Penny. He didn't know whether to hate her or love her, both emotions were so similar. He had been born to be different. To be a genius who would one day win a Nobel Prize. Who would let nothing get in the way of achieving his goal. He was the only of his friends to not fall for Penny, but lately he doubted himself. He was so focussed on his work that he hadn't had time to notice how much Penny was a part of his life. He made a quick mental list in his head of all the things they shared:

_She is attracted to my point 0000_

_She knows why it is my point 0000_

_She does her laundry on Saturday at 8:15_

_She eats dinner with us_

_She knocks thrice then says my name, then repeats twice more_

_She comes to me for help_

_She knows Soft Kitty_

_She takes care of me when I am sick_

That was it for the list at the present moment, but Sheldon remembered that touch during Star Wars, and fell asleep, wondering about his feelings.

_\|/_

Penny knew she liked Sheldon. She knew Leonard had feelings for her. She knew she couldn't sleep. Sheldon probably hated her, while she loved him. She had heard that opposites attract, but this just didn't make sense.

_\|/_

Leonard took the red face and the slammed door as a sign of embarrassment, and knew he was right. Then when Sheldon hurried to bed, he knew he was absolutely spot-on. Obviously something had happened, and they had left Penny's door too early, otherwise they probably would've heard what happened. He had a hunch, like Howard had; he just had to prove it. A plan was already formulating in his mind, all he needed was the perfect time to put it into action, and that would be tomorrow.

_\|/_

_AN- See what I mean, not my best one ever, but the next one should be much better. I bet you can guess what happened between Sheldon and Penny; I didn't want to say because it kind of gets worked into the next chapter. Unfortunately, this chapter could really only be written in this format (lots of little parts) which I don't particularly like, but I'll try to avoid that in the future._

_Remember to review! As I say, the more reviews, the faster I work to get the next chapters up. Oh, and I don't mind- constructive criticism, one-word reviews, and plain old feedback all welcome!_


	3. Chapter 3

_AN-I just LOVE writing a jealous Leonard! Even if I'm not too good at it, ;) Anyway, if I do say so myself, this is my favourite chapter so far, but I have an idea formulating, so it mightn't be for long! Remember to review afterwards! :D_

_Disclaimer- I don't own Big Bang Theory, much to my annoyance.

* * *

_

Leonard had been quiet all morning. Sheldon and Penny still weren't coming clean about what happened the previous night, and it was time for his plan to be put into action.

He is a scientist. Scientist's get hunches, and in order to know if their hunch is right, they have to perform experiments. That was how he convinced himself that this was all harmless, just a little experiment that wouldn't hurt anyone. He and Penny had history, and he wasn't over her, he never would be. If she and Sheldon had a thing, he would have to stop it, or leave the country in order not to interfere with two of his best friends' lives.

Everything was set, it wasn't such a hard plan. Quite simple, actually. All he had to do was get them in the same room and see how they reacted around each other, the only problem was that everything was awkward between them, so, he might also have to speak to them directly, and see how they responded then, as well. Was he taking it too far? No. Was it wrong to feel jealous of Penny and Sheldon, even when nothing was going to happen with him and Penny? ... No. He had to convince himself on that one. Deep down, he knew the right answer was yes, but since when did he listen to that part of him?

_\|/_

Sheldon still stuck by his routine. Why should Penny's behaviour change that? She knew he didn't like anyone touching him, let alone in _that_ way. Mouths shouldn't be allowed to come so close to another person.

He wasn't so distracted, however, to not notice how quiet Leonard was being. He looked as though he was planning an experiment, but he doubted he would be able to remember it without his laptop. "Leonard, if you're planning an experiment, which I am sure will fail, may I suggest at least using your laptop so as to not forget it in ten seconds?" he commented. Leonard barely seemed to notice, the only indication was the slight mumble of "Thanks, Sheldon, but I don't need my laptop." Satisfied, though not totally confident with Leonard's answer, Sheldon went to the kitchen to clean up his breakfast things.

That's when things started to go strange.

_\|/_

Penny walked into the guy's apartment. They always left the door open, much to Sheldon's dislike, as she had noted many times before. She saw Sheldon standing at the kitchen sink, and she stood up straighter. There was no need for her to feel embarrassed. So she had kissed him, big deal. She did it all the time to the others… except Howard, and it was on the cheek. Sheldon had noticed Penny's presence, and they were looking right at each other. With that one look, both of them forgot about the incident the night before, and forgave the other for their actions. Leonard had stood up, paying extreme attention now, and Howard and Raj walked in. "Oh, well, this is a tiny bit awkward," Howard said, stressing the "tiny" in that way he usually does. No one laughed though, which actually made it awkward. "Penny," Sheldon greeted. "Sheldon," Penny mimicked. _Number 1, she mimics him_, Leonard noted, _a lot_, he added as he thought back and realised how many things Penny had done with and like Sheldon. Everyone went back to what they were doing, and everyone had forgotten about what had happened last night, except Leonard, of course, he was still improving his plan. At the moment, he was considering putting cameras in Penny's apartment. _Surely a little invasion of privacy won't matter, all I'm doing is finding out if they have a thing_, he thought. _No, it won't. It's for everyone's benefit,_ he decided. Again, that little part of him tried to tell him it wasn't okay, he was taking it too far, but he was so deep into his plan that he barely noticed. He had made up his mind and he was going through with his plan.

_\|/_

Sheldon knew it was perfectly normal to feel uncomfortable, but seeing as he was homo novus, and lived by pure intellect and logic, he wouldn't allow himself to feel it. It was time like these that he would use _Kolinahr_, and suppress his feelings, but it never worked for Penny. He would've called it love, unable to stop himself from thinking about her and his feelings from seeping through the barriers he put up, but he was Dr. Sheldon Cooper, and he didn't love. At least not when he was lying to himself, but he couldn't lie. Penny made him do strange things… much like love, or so he had heard. "Penny," he greeted. He noticed how she mimicked his tone of voice when she said "Sheldon." It wasn't unnerving, actually, he liked that he had made an impact in her life. "Look, Sheldon, I apologise for last night. Can we put it behind us and continue on with our lives?" She looked at him, almost pleading, he noticed, but it didn't feel like she meant it, not really. _She is an actress_, a voice in his head said. He looked at her, "that seems like a reasonable idea. I agree." Everything continued on like nothing had happened, except both Sheldon and Penny were thinking about the same thing. They both knew they wouldn't forget it, and they both knew the other wouldn't either. It was one of those many things they knew about each other without needing to ask first.

Howard broke the silence, something they were all grateful for. "So, what exactly happened last night?" Sheldon and Penny looked at each other; he motioned for her to tell. Although he wasn't comfortable with it, he felt a sense of triumph, and everyone knows he likes to share his successes. "I kissed Sheldon," she said, like it was no big deal, which it wasn't. It hadn't meant anything. Raj spat out his drink, Howard nearly choked on nothing, and Leonard's eyes grew wider, and he became more aware, this was exactly what he needed. Sheldon looked up and sighed pointedly, "Raj, seeing as you were the one to do it and I am uncomfortable with touching anything that has been in your mouth… clean that up." With that, he stood up, cleaned out his bowl, and went on with his morning routine with a disgusted look on his face, but he still noticed Penny laugh softly as he did.

_\|/_

Leonard's list went something like this now:

_She mimics him_

_She spends an awful lot of time with him_

_They can fight and make up in a flash_

_He helps her… with almost anything_

_He won't let anyone else handle his food_

_He was willing to put his hand near her mouth in order to try and "modify" her_

_They sing Soft Kitty together_

_She looks after him when he's sick_

_SHE KISSED HIM!_

_He was willing to forget about it!_

He didn't know whether number 6 was a good thing, but he was saying it was anyway. Number 9 and 10 surprised him the most, but what hurt the most was number 7. He heard them sing Soft Kitty, even if they didn't know, and it hurt him to know they shared something, when he had loved her from the moment he had laid eyes on her, and what did they have? They had broken up after one date, and Sheldon was with her, not him. _Number 11,_ he thought.

His eyes on Penny, he noticed that his plan wouldn't work; it was far too simple. Although Sheldon couldn't lie, Penny was an actress. _I'll put cameras in Penny's apartment and through here, and microphones up the stairs and lobby; and if I haven't gotten proof of a relationship by Friday,_ _I'll put cameras in the laundry room too, _he decided. "Leonard, what do you say?" he heard Howard ask. "What?" he asked.

"What do you say, a bar, hot chicks, Sunday night…" Howard repeated.

"Sorry, I've got plans, but maybe next Sunday," he said vaguely. _Raj and Howard shrugged and left, no doubt to get ready for tonight_, Leonard thought dryly, in the meantime, he had cameras and mics to set up. "Uh, Penny, I've got to duck out for a bit, do you mind cleaning that up? Sheldon gets psychotic when there's mess around the apartment," he said as he threw on his jacket. She just looked at him, almost disgusted, "Ew, no, what do you think I am? A slave? You want it clean, do it yourself," she retorted, as he walked out the door. "Wow, what's his problem?" she asked herself.

_\|/_

Penny could hardly contain herself when she realised Sheldon was just in the next room, and they were alone in the apartment. When Sheldon walked out of the bathroom, and noticed the puddle Koothrapali had left, he sighed with derision, and went to get his plastic gloves. He only got as far as the step that separated the living area from the hall, because at that moment, Penny walked up to him and kissed him. She was surprised to notice he didn't pull away so quickly this time. She was getting through to him, and breaking away the mask he wore so well. She knew Leonard was jealous and wanted them broken up, but he always left at the wrong times. She pulled away, not so embarrassed this time, and grinned.

_

* * *

AN- How was it? Sorry it took a while to update! I'm trying to write longer chapters, and with school, sport and homework, it's hard to find time to write! Anyway, as I was writing, I had the sudden urge to incorporate a twist. Sorry I didn't write it very well though! Remember to review!_


	4. Chapter 4

_AN-So, I don't really have anything to say here, so just read the one at the end, I guess. That's where all the good stuff is, aside from the actually fic, of course._

_Disclaimer-I don't own Big Bang Theory, well, I do… on DVD._

* * *

THREE DAYS LATER…

Leonard had checked his computer for sounds and photographic evidence of Sheldon and Penny, and he hadn't gotten anything, well, that wasn't completely true, he had gotten evidence that they spent a lot of time together, and got along INCREDIBLY well, and just then he had realised that he hadn't gotten anything for a very specific reason. Sheldon, obviously noticing the cameras, had alerted Penny, simply thinking of her privacy. He had then gotten an extremely long yell about invading her privacy and taking it too far. He hadn't actually listened to it, all he wanted to know was if anything was going on. He knew he had to take the cameras and mics down, seeing as nothing would happen now that they knew, plus Penny had covered up all the lens' and covered all the microphones.

He trudged down the stairs to get the microphones, which were covered with duct tape, _silence is golden, but duct tape is silver_, he laughed as he thought it. Penny walked up the stairs at that very moment, and his laugh froze on his lips as he saw the look she was giving him. It was that one she often used for Sheldon when he annoyed her enough. _If looks could kill_, he thought. She kept walking, they didn't say a word. He heard her laugh as she reached the next floor, and moments later, Sheldon walked downstairs. "Well Leonard, it seems that you've succeeded in making Penny loathe you. May I suggest not putting cameras in her apartment, it seems that women don't like that. Oh, and might I add, if you two are going to fight again, please do it when I am not around, and I will not take sides, but rather continue on with my life as normal." Leonard just glared. "Okay then, it seems we have reached an agreement, now, if you will, it's Wednesday, Wednesday is new comic-book night and I do not drive."

"Why don't you ask Howard to drive you?" he suggested sarcastically. As usual though, Sheldon had a reply, "because I refuse to ride on that dangerous abomination you so casually call a scooter," he said calmly. "Well, Sheldon, I'm a little busy now," he gestured to the microphone, "why don't you ask Penny?" Sheldon thought for a second.

"You're right, that seems like the only logical solution, seeing as I have already asked Raj. Thank-you Leonard." He walked back up the stairs to find Penny, and Leonard rolled his eyes as he continued removing the microphone. _I really didn't hide these very well_, he mused. It was only when Penny and Sheldon walked down the stairs together that he realised he needed to go to the comic-book store.

_\|/_

"You know Penny, I don't understand why you don't get your engine serviced. That check-engine light has been on since I've known you. Clearly that means your engine needs checking." Penny rolled her eyes, "Sheldon, honey, I've told you a thousand times before, that light is on, that means it's working."

"How could you have told me a thousand times? I barely ever ride in this car because the light is on, therefore-"Penny broke him off with a kiss. They had just pulled over anyway. She realised that all this time she had kept her feelings bottled up inside, and after three kisses, that he had been doing exactly the same thing. "Penny, a warning would be nice," he joked, half-seriously. She smiled, she had managed to peel away that mask, and underneath, there was a normal, 29-year-old, man. Come on honey, I really don't want to be in there for long," she was still half-scared of the place. Sheldon, of all people, gave her a reassuring smile after they were out of the car. "Don't worry, they won't bother you while I'm there, except maybe Stuart, but you know him," he grinned. She punched him softly, but he still said 'ow'. Of course, being Penny, she laughed, but got a glare from Sheldon, which just made her laugh even more. He had put his mask back on, and didn't notice how everyone looked at them when they walked into the comic-book store, or how Leonard's car was parked right behind Penny's, with Leonard looking either devilishly evil, or heart-broken. She knew he was jealous, it was in his eyes, and she knew he put up the cameras to try and prove his hunch, but she didn't know he had followed them. All she knew was that she was careful that she didn't do anything while the cameras were up or while he was there, but it turned out that the simplest plan had worked.

_\|/_

Realising he had evidence; he turned around and went back to taking down the cameras. He took them out of Penny's apartment, because she wasn't home, and he sure as hell wasn't going to do it while she was there. He couldn't decide whether to feel jealous or heart-broken, but because he was heart-broken, he was going to be jealous that the guy with no deal had gotten Penny, and do something about it. While he took down all the cameras, he thought. What could he do to get back at Sheldon? As he took down the last camera, he found the answer. Grabbing all of the cameras, he ran back to apartment 4A, almost running into the door, threw them onto the couch, and grabbed the phone.

_\|/_

Everyone at the comic-book store stared at Sheldon and Penny when they walked in. No-one had ever seen Sheldon Cooper hold hands with anyone, let alone the beautiful women who lived across the hall from him. Sheldon quickly pulled his hand away and strode over to look at the new comic-books. They still stared at Penny, who quickly walked over to stand by Sheldon. Stuart was the only one to move after that, and he only moved to talk to Penny. "Penny?" he asked. She turned around,

"Stuart," she nodded.

"Uh, I don't mean to intrude, but you do realise that's Sheldon, not Leonard, right?" He immediately regretted saying this, because Penny's face turned red. "Yes, Stuart, I know that. Leonard and I are having a rough patch now, and we're not dating," she snapped. She looked up at Sheldon, who selected a new comic-book, and motioned to Stuart to let him pay for it. "Uh, okay then…" he scurried over to the counter to serve Sheldon. It didn't take long, it was only one, but Penny tapped her foot impatiently. She wanted to leave, the place creeped her out, and it didn't help that she had made things a whole lot more awkward by holding Sheldon's hand. Everyone was still staring at her, like she was some sort of alien, and she was grateful for Sheldon when he came over to her, "Penny, I'm ready to leave now." That was all he had said, but she reached up, and, for the second time that night, kissed him. That one action was enough to give her more confidence, and, seeing everyone's mouth agape, the walked out of the store, and back to the car.

_\|/_

When Sheldon and Penny got home, Leonard had just hung up the phone. "Hello Leonard, who was that?" Sheldon asked as he put down his bag. Leonard, who had just finished a staring contest with Penny, answered "Oh, no-one." Sheldon, as he took his new comic-book out of the bag, looked at Leonard, "then why were you putting the phone down?" Penny, like Sheldon, looked at Leonard expectantly, and, as if under so much pressure, answered, "uh, it was… Lila. Yeah, we met the other night and she wants to go out tomorrow night." Seeing this as a suitable answer, Sheldon nodded. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go read this in my room. Good-bye Penny."

"Good-bye Sheldon," she smiled. When the door had closed, she screamed. "Leonard! What is wrong with you? I know you're jealous, but you're just going to have to accept the fact that I don't love you!" Leonard, not quite taken aback, yelled back. "You don't know that! Okay, so maybe, maybe I'm jealous, but why should I be? Hm?"

"Because 'facts are facts', and the fact is that I don't love you and you're jealous," she quoted him calmly. "And why should I be jealous?" he asked, equally calmly.

'Because I love Sheldon," she whispered. Knowing he had caught her, he asked,

"What was that?"

"I love Sheldon!" she yelled, just as Howard and Raj walked in. They seemed to have a knack for walking in a crucial moments. They saw Penny almost in tears and Leonard with a smug look on his face. They just turned around quietly and walked away. Penny and Leonard hadn't even noticed them. Sheldon, however, walked out, hearing the commotion, and Penny stalked out and let the tears flow. She didn't hear what happened after.

_\|/_

"Well I hope you're proud Leonard. You just severed what remained of you and Penny's friendship, as well as ours. We can still be roommates, but if you hurt Penny one more time, as this is my apartment, and you won't be able to do anything, I will make sure you find another place to stay. You did all of this to yourself in less than a minute, it must be a new record." Leonard tried to speak, but Sheldon ignored him, and walked out to find Penny crying on the floor outside her apartment. He sat down next to her, putting aside his fear of touching the floor, and started to sing. "Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr." Leonard had opened the door at "happy kitty" and watched as he sung to her, that song that hurt him so much. She had stopped crying, her face all red, and dried her eyes, trying to stop those few tears that escaped. They looked like the perfect couple, and he couldn't help but feel regretful. He turned back, and picked up the phone again. He was going to cancel his "date" but he felt that he had already done this to himself, he might as well finish it, anyway, "Lila" needed to see this. Maybe she could convince them to forgive him, maybe she could convince them to call it off, or maybe she could convince him to start praying for Jesus to forgive him.

_

* * *

AN- Okay, this is definitely my favourite chapter now. I nearly started crying as I wrote it! So, what do you think? Who did Leonard call? It's really obvious ;) Anyway, seeing as this is my favourite chapter, PLEASE review for me! What's your favourite chapter so far? Oh, and lately, I have the urge to do something different, so who wants to collab on a Shamy _fanfic? Let me know!


	5. Chapter 5

_AN- Quick notes 1. Look at my forum, The Shamy. Add new topics, and have a look at my writing challenge. I'm trying to get the Shamy fanfics rolling. 2. I'm taking the poll down. Shenny won, with Leonard/Penny and Shamy tied with 1 vote each. Also, if you want to collab with me, review or PM me. I want to do something different, and I feel like collaborating with someone on a Penny/Leonard or Shamy fic. We can organise something._

_Disclaimer- I don't own Big Bang Theory._

Sheldon and Penny went out the next day, which worked out well for Leonard. It gave him time to organise his brain for when Sheldon's mother came. She said she would be right there, eager to see her son finally with a girl. Unfortunately, all he could think about was how he had lost half of his friends in a matter of seconds, _jealousy really is a hideous green-eyed monster_, he thought sadly. There was a knock at the door, and Leonard all but sprinted to it. There was Mrs. Cooper, with her suitcase and a slightly worried look. "Hi, Mrs. Cooper," he said sadly.

"Oh, Leonard, I came as soon as you called. Now, when you said Sheldon was dating someone, you meant a real girl, right?" He smiled instantly, his jealousy all but forgotten.

"Oh yeah, she's real." He gestured for her to come inside.

"Is it that… unique, young lady you called about last time?" she asked warily as she moved into the apartment. "No, they're just friends." She put her bag down on the table as Leonard closed the door. "Oh. So where is he?" she asked.

"Oh, he's not here at the moment. He's out with… her," he said angrily, his jealousy rising again as he said it, "he should be back soon." Mary's face fell a little, but she covered it well.

"Well then, perhaps you should tell me what's wrong with you." Leonard was taken aback by this comment. "What makes you think something's wrong?" he asked. Mary just smiled,

"Oh I know when there's something wrong, Leonard, sit, and tell what's wrong." She motioned to the couch. Leonard sat. "Perhaps you'll understand when he gets back," was all he said. He timed it well, because at that moment, Sheldon and Penny walked through the door.

_\|/_

Sheldon immediately dropped Penny's hand when he saw his mother sitting in their living room. "Mom, (_AN- Just quickly, since it's an American show, I'm spelling "Mum" with an "o") _what are you doing here?" his eyes instantaneously went to Leonard, who smiled crazily. His mom got up, arms open, and gave Sheldon a hug. She looked at him, "Leonard called,"

"Well I know that," he interrupted, for which he got a warning look,

"He said you had a girlfriend. Now obviously not believing it, I had to come see for myself," he eyes drifted towards Penny, who, up until now had been giving Leonard the death glare. "Penny, isn't it? Well I never would've guessed it. My first thought was that young lady, Amy, but I clearly see that I was wrong." Sheldon looked protectively at Penny, as if to say, _be careful, she's crazy,_ but Penny didn't even notice. Instead, she walked over to Leonard, and punched him, hard, in the face. "Don't do anything stupid, because I'll go all Nebraska on your ass," she whispered. Smiling sweetly at Mrs. Cooper, she walked out of the apartment, giving Sheldon a quick peck on the cheek as she went, which made his mom's jaw drop, almost mirroring Sheldon's horrified look at the punch.

_\|/_

Leonard's nose was bleeding, and he probably had a black eye too, but Sheldon had no sympathy for him, and walked out for Penny after his mother told him to help fix Leonard up. She shook her head, but tended to Leonard, much to her son's disgust.

When his nose wasn't bleeding so badly and he had meat on his eye, Mrs. Cooper walked out into the hall to find Sheldon with his arm around Penny, who was crying for the second time in less than a day. Although he wouldn't say they were dating, he was willing to admit his feelings for Penny publically now, and that was all it took for his mother to accept the fact that he wasn't such an anti-social robot, not that she ever called him that, of course. She was perfectly happy for them, and if she had that image of them in her mind for the rest of her life, she would be happy. It was obvious what was wrong with Leonard now. He had interfered with something that he wasn't meant to interfere with, and her son and his "girlfriend" had terminated their friendship with him. While she was cleaning him up, she spoke about how Jesus would forgive him, so long as made it right. She wasn't sure if he had payed any attention, but she knew if he had, it probably hadn't made much of an impact.

_\|/_

He had to leave. That was all he could think about after Penny had punched him. Where would he go? Maybe he could stay with Raj, he sure as hell wasn't going to stay with Howard, but they both like Penny and Sheldon, well, not really Sheldon, so he didn't have much hope there. He couldn't go home, and he didn't know anyone anywhere else. _Don't do anything stupid,_ that's what Penny said. Would running away count? Probably. He had everything to be ashamed of, but maybe he could fix it. His life was a mess, facts are facts, and the fact was that he was attached to another object by an inclined plane wrapped helically around an axis.

_\|/_

Mary Cooper didn't stay long. She didn't need to. Shelly was perfectly fine, and she had things to do back home. She stayed the night, then said good-bye the first thing the next morning. Penny and Sheldon went out again, paint-ball-ing, and Leonard was alone. He packed up his room, thinking he could always unpack if he wanted to, and thought. Should he leave, should he stay? For a genius, he didn't know, and that was kind of new to him-not knowing. He moped around the apartment all day, wallowing in his despair.

_\|/_

Penny was happy. She had Sheldon, the crazy whack-a-doodle who she had loved since that first day. As an actress, she called it the Pilot. They played a bit of paint-ball, but that got boring after a while, so they went… nowhere. They ended up going back to her apartment, and watched movies, taking it in turns to choose. They watched Sex and the City, Star Trek and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Penny had all of the movies there, so they didn't have to look at Leonard once. She felt a little bad about punching him, but seeing as he had 1. Put cameras in her apartment and 2. Made her cry, she couldn't care less if she had knocked the last brain cells out of his head. She snuggled up into Sheldon's side, who moved away at first, but when she put her arms around him, he stopped, mainly because he possessed no strength what-so-ever. She smiled, and they stayed like that long after the movie had finished, until Sheldon said "Penny. I have to go now. It's getting late and I need to apologise to Leonard" Penny sat up and was super-alert then, "Apologise? Why?" she squeaked.

"Because I need to get to work tomorrow, and you can't take me, seeing as you have to work too," he explained. "Oh, right, that. Well, sweetie, can't you just ask Raj or Howard to take you? I really don't want you apologising to Leonard after what he did." Sheldon looked stumped. Penny, or Leonard? He pulled away from Penny's embrace, and said, "Penny. You and I both love to prank. If I said this was pay-back, would you accept that?" He stood up, and she thought.

"So you're saying you apologise to him, use him for transportation, then go straight back to ignoring him?" she asked.

"More or less, yes," Sheldon answered.

"Okay then, you can apologise to him." He left, and she sat back down on the couch, which felt empty now.

_\|/_

Sheldon walked into his apartment, to find Leonard lying on the couch. "Leonard?"

"What?"

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for terminating our friendship. I feel deeply regretful and, if you would, hope that you can forgive me." He waited, and waited, but he got no answer. He sighed, and stalked off to his room. He was going to get driven to work the next day anyway.

_\|/_

Leonard got off the couch. He needed to know one more thing. Walking over to Penny's apartment, he wondered what would happen. He knocked. Penny answered. "What?" she snapped.

"I just want to know one thing. If you love Sheldon, and have for a while, from what I'm gathering, why did you go out with me?" he asked. Penny was startled, it was a reasonable question, and she couldn't really get mad at him for asking. "I went out with you, because I knew Sheldon wouldn't return my feelings, and hoped that dating you would take my mind off of him," she half-snapped, making a simple answer scary. "So you never even had feelings for me?" he asked. All he got was a door slammed in his face. Unsure of what that meant, he turned around, ready to unpack his bedroom. Another bout of jealousy rose, and another phone-call became necessary. Picking up the phone, he dialled, and waited for the other voice. "Hello?" it came.

"Hello Amy, its Leonard. I was just wondering, would you like to come over tomorrow? I'm just organising something little, and I'm sure Sheldon and Penny would love to see you." He said, trying to sound casual. "Okay Leonard. What is the occasion?" she asked. _I really should've thought about this first,_ he thought. "Um, no occasion, just a get-together."

"Okay then. What time?"

"How about 7:00? Pm," he added.

"That sounds acceptable. I will be there at 7:00pm. I can stay with Penny. Thank-you, Leonard." The call ended, and Leonard wondered if he had made another big mistake.

_AN- So not my favourite chapter so far, but I was bored, so sorry. It's really just a filler chapter, ready for the next one. I'm thinking that in a few chapters time I'm going to… Never mind, it's a secret :P but maybe if you REALLY want to know what I'm planning, review, and I might just tell you one or two of my plans. Anyway, you know what to do! –Maddy_


	6. Chapter 6

_AN- Sorry it took me so long to update! I had the end written, but then decided to add more at the beginning, and I had to work around school and other commitments. Still, here it is! (Oh and PLEASE read the end Author's Note, there's a few important things in there). Thanks!_

_Disclaimer- I, unfortunately do not own The Big Bang Theory. Maybe someone will give it to me as a late birthday prezzie? ;)_

* * *

Sheldon woke up at 6:15, as usual. He followed his routine to the letter, as usual, and waited for Leonard to finish preparing for the day. Leonard ignored him the whole morning, not even making eye contact. As he started walking out the door, Leonard stopped him. "Sheldon, did you want a ride to work today?" Leonard asked, a little warily. Sheldon smiled, his plan had worked. Leonard had fallen book, time and tinker, or at least that's what he believed should be the general slang these days. "Thank-you, Leonard. That's very thoughtful of you," he nodded. He still couldn't tolerate the way he had treated Penny, but he didn't 100% hate him either. It was a paradox he honestly wished didn't exist. As they walked down the stairs together, Sheldon put the rest of his plan into action, and did not, for once in his life, fill the silence with his non-desired chatter; in fact, he filled it more with a cold silence that Leonard thought he was imagining.

_\|/_

When they arrived at work, Leonard was eager to get some distance from Sheldon. The whole morning he had been silent, and it was a cold silence too, but Sheldon couldn't lie, and he had apologised, so he must've been imagining it… but still, he was happy to not see Sheldon for the rest of the day. They parted as usual, and Leonard was left wallowing in his own guilty thoughts. Maybe he should call off the evening with Amy. Sheldon would never have to know he'd called, but since he and Amy talked almost every day, he didn't think it was a topic that would remain undiscussed.  
He really wasn't focussing on his work, and, of course, one person noticed. "Leonard. You seem a little out of it, and while operating machinery as dangerous as this, you might want to be concentrating." Leslie Winkle said to him as the laser fired. Leonard snapped out of his reverie, dazed. "Oh, right. Yeah Leslie, I'm just a little preoccupied at the moment," he responded.

"With Blondie and Dr. Dumbass," she stated, not even bothering to ask. Leonard, confused and surprised, was speechless for a moment, trying to find the right words to say. "Uh… no, it's just… yeah," he admitted. " How did you know?" he asked.

"It's not hard to figure out. I mean, once you take a look at Princess Barbie's facebook status and realise she's not dating you, it's pretty obvious. I wouldn't be surprised if half of the Physics department knew."

"What? Why would half of the Physics department know?" Leslie smiled mischievously.

"You're smart Leonard, you should be able to guess, but in case your brain is as small as your roommate's, it's simple. I told them." Leonard smiled at this. It was so simple! All he had to do was get Leslie to spread the word. Sheldon would never be able to handle it, and would therefore break up with Penny, therefore allowing him to have her again. "Leslie…" he began…

_\|/_

By lunch, everyone, even the Geologists, knew about Sheldon and Penny. Sheldon was looking very distressed, and was refusing to even look at Leonard. He knew it had been him. He had given up on his plan, and decided he would ride home with either Howard or Raj, even if it meant riding on the death-mobile Howard called a scooter, in order to not see Leonard.

Leonard, on the other hand, was seriously considering leaving again. The guilt this time was too great, and he didn't want to feel it again. But if he left, he would never have a shot with Penny, and he would still never forgive himself for what he did, and if they, being Sheldon and Penny, of course, one day got married and had kids, he wouldn't get a chance to be a part of that life of theirs. What should he do? He honestly didn't know. All that he did know was that Howard, Raj and Sheldon hated him, and when he got home, he would be receiving a whole lot of Junior Rodeo lessons from Penny, except he would be the one being demonstrated on.

_\|/_

Penny was waiting in her apartment, pacing furiously around the little visible floor space. Her apartment, which had been clean until lunch when she received that call from Sheldon, was now in chaos, in an attempt to find a baseball bat or some other hard object that would do Leonard a world of hurt. She hadn't found anything, and figured her fists and knees would have to do, even if it caused her to break a bone, it would be well worth it in the end. She wanted to, literally, knock some sense into him. She stopped pacing, and instead sat down on the couch, and broke down; wishing Sheldon was there to comfort her. But he wasn't; all she had was herself, and an absolutely chaotic apartment. Thinking of what Sheldon's reaction would be if he saw it then, she laughed, feeling a little ridiculous laughing with no-one around. She got up, and began to clean; replaying the phone call she had received at lunch time from her…boyfriend?

_Her phone, lying on a spotless coffee table, began to ring. Careful not to make a mark on her perfect table, Penny picked it up, quickly looking at the caller ID. Sheldon. He never called at this time of the day; something must be wrong. It was funny how in only a second, she became extremely worried about him. She accepted the call, "Sheldon?" she asked, worried sick. _

"_Penny, I have decided that I shall no longer be engaging in the so called "friendship" with Leonard anymore. I have very recently terminated it, and wish to express my wish that you do so as well," Sheldon said hurriedly. It was strange that she had actually understood what he had said. Maybe spending so much time with the physicists had rubbed off on her; maybe she should look at becoming one. Holding back a critical laugh at herself, she answered. "Why? What has he done sweetie?" Penny was known for her quick mood swings, and in a split second, she had become angry, almost speaking through gritted teeth."He, along with Leslie Winkle, have told the whole University that we are dating." He sounded almost amused, that Leslie Winkle, of all people, had been able to bring his defences down, but also confused, seeing as, in his eyes, they weren't dating. Penny was speechless for a minute. She had a quick answer for him, "Sheldon, I hope you don't have any soft feelings for Leonard, because when he gets home, he will be in for a world of hurt." _She hung up after that, and, true to her word, had destroyed her apartment trying to find anything that would harm, but not kill, she wouldn't go that far, Leonard. Now she was cleaning up, hoping she could get it done before Sheldon got home. _If _he got home, that is. She hadn't thought of that dilemma at the time. If he and Leonard were no longer friends, how would Sheldon get home? She didn't ponder for long; he was smart, he would figure it out.

_\|/_

Sheldon had secretly looked forward to that afternoon, when Leonard would be, as Penny put it, "be in for a world of hurt". He wished his death-ray had worked; then he could've solved the whole problem easily. Leonard however, must've known what was coming for him, and didn't get home until just before 7:00, an odd hour for him to get home. He and Penny were watching a romance movie, of Penny's choice, of course, until he arrived, when they gave him death glares or tried to blow up his brains while he wasn't looking. Penny was too tired to hurt Leonard, much to his disappointment, but it was fine. He wasn't even worth it. Penny had talked to him, and he now realised people would one day find out about them… even if they weren't dating yet.

_\|/_

Amy arrived at precisely 7:00. Sheldon and Penny were sitting on the couch, just casually, as they watched some romantic movie that Leonard hadn't bothered watching. He had been watching the clock, however, for 20 minutes, wondering whether he should call it off, but always deciding no. Amy was Sheldon and Penny's friend, and they would have to get used to their relationship being public knowledge. _I'm doing them a favour, _he convinced himself. When he opened the door to let Amy in, Sheldon looked up puzzled. _At least he's not ignoring me. Maybe he really meant his apology_. "Amy. What are you doing here? I do not believe we have organised a social meeting." He said, with his voice matching his expression. Amy nodded.

"I received a call from Leonard earlier on today asking if I would like to, to use the current slang, come over at 7:00pm. So, here I am!" she finished brightly, having noticed Penny's presence. Sheldon looked at Leonard, still with a puzzled expression. "Why did you invite her over? I do not believe there is any special occasion." Leonard, looking slightly embarrassed, took a moment to think of an answer, while Sheldon waited expectantly. "Uhh… no occasion, just uh, a little get-together." He noticed Penny giving him the death stare. _Damn_, he thought. He had forgotten that Penny could see right through his plans. Sheldon didn't seem to accept his answer, but took it anyway. Amy had already taken her place by Penny's side, the right side, of course, and was talking animatedly while Penny still gave him the death stare.

_\|/_

Amy stayed until 8 o'clock, when Penny left. She had agreed to let Amy stay over, only because she didn't want to let her down. She clearly hadn't noticed anything different about the way Sheldon and Penny behaved around one another now, and Leonard hadn't had the guts to mention it. He had already filled his guilt-quota for the day, and didn't want to over-fill it even more. He had gone to his room 15 minutes after Amy arrived, and hadn't done anything, except pack and re-pack, then pack again about three times. He finally decided to remain unpacked for the night, and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of green monsters at his school when he was younger. Jealousy and loneliness, that's what he dreamt of, not green-eyed monsters or schools, jealousy and loneliness.

_

* * *

_

_AN- Again, sorry it took me so long to update! But with school back, I have to focus on that, and there's not much time left when you add in sports and homework and such. Still, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I was really looking forward to Leonard being in a world of hurt, but I had already written the end part and it didn't really fit with it. Maybe I'll write a bonus chapter or an alternate ending to this chapter, with that scene. What do you think? Remember to review!_

_Now for a serious question… should Leonard leave or not? I think I write it in almost every chapter, where he packs and unpacks, deciding not to leave, but I am really not sure. Please help! I'm stuck! Until I figure something out, not many interesting chapters will be written, or at least the story won't go anywhere. Here's what I'm thinking at the moment:__** Leonard leaves, and Penny and Sheldon get married a few years later. They forgive Leonard by then and he attends the wedding. Realising they have forgiven him, he moves back just as they discover they will be having a child. **__What do you think of that? Please let me know! _

_Thank-you,_

_-Maddy_


	7. Chapter 7

_AN-Okay, sorry I kept you all waiting so long! I was really busy and had almost no time to write, however, I'm back! This is my longest chapter so far, and possibly one of my best. It's a bit more Shenny-centric than the previous ones. _

_Can I just say now, the end AN is really long, and isn't really a necessary read. It's really two replies to some flames I received from Lisa and Ms. G, but read it anyway, and tell me what you think of the two opinions. I have to end AN's, and the first one (in italics) is the one you should read. It contains the questions and other information. Please read! (There's a little… umm…present?, in there)_

_This chapter is written for Stock2007, for reviewing every chapter and helping me with the story. A massive thank-you to you!_

_Disclaimer-I do not own the Big Bang Theory._

* * *

It had been almost week since he and Leslie had told everyone at the University about Sheldon's relationship, and he hadn't cracked, no one of them had. Sheldon spent as little time in the apartment as possible. Leonard didn't know what he did, but he guessed he spent a lot of time with his girlfriend; the one person Leonard had fallen in love with. He remembered Penny saying she was writing a movie about her life, and he almost laughed. It was such a typical romance movie. He fell in love with her, but she was interested in his best friend. Had curses existed, he would've cursed the stupid love triangle. He had spent all week alone and silent. No one would go near him, and no one talked to him either, so what choice did he have? Suddenly feeling incredibly bored, he remembered something. He had left one of the cameras from his first plan up in Penny's apartment! Should he look at it, or ask to remove it? He had given up on trying to break his friends… ex-friends, up, so he didn't need to look at the camera, but if he went over there and asked to take it down, Penny would probably kill him. He couldn't wait 'til they left for laundry night either. Penny had given the emergency key to Sheldon, and Sheldon only, to keep it away from Leonard. He didn't know what to do, but he wasn't going to think about it too much. The answer would come to him if he didn't worry.

_\|/_

Penny was walking down the stairs to the laundry. It was Saturday night, 8:15, and of course her laundry basket was full. It felt strange not having Sheldon with her, as if her right arm had been removed. She giggled. Funny comparing Sheldon with her right arm; it wasn't really the right way to describe being away from him. It was more like her heart had been removed. He had had to go back into his apartment to get his basket of clothes, so she headed down alone to secure the two machines that were always available on Saturday nights at 8:15. Only once had she found someone try to use one of their machines. If it had been hers, she may not have minded, but it was Sheldon's, so she told the young girl about to dump the clothes in that if she used that machine, Hell would break loose. She never used it again, or even came to the laundry on Saturdays.

As usual, the machines were free. She opened each one to make sure no one had left anything in them, or that there was no detergent or powder left. Sheldon would've gone insane if his clothes to powder ratio was off. As she sorted out her clothes into different machines, Sheldon walked in. As soon as he saw her, his face lit up, and it was like watching a shooting star. One second it was there, the next it wasn't, but while it lasted, it was amazing.

It wasn't as if anything new happened. It was Laundry Night, and that was that. They behaved no differently around each other than they normally did. It's just that they were so comfortable with each other and it had become a routine thing. Nothing, including a relationship, was going to change that. Penny didn't mind much either. Sure it would've been nice if they acted like regular couples, but with Sheldon a part of it, regular was out of the question. This time, as was usually the case, she started their conversation, though the topic she had in mind was a little different than usual. "Sheldon? What would you consider… you know… this?" He stopped and thought for a second, they way he normally does, then picked up his work again and answered. "Penny, by 'this', I really don't know what you are talking about. 'This' could mean the word, or, considering you were holding a football T-Shirt, which I find to be a more likely subject matter, I would have to say I consider it to be no more than a T-Shirt supporting a sport in which large, strong and actually quite scary men chase a ball around a field, attempting to run it to the other end, while sometimes deliberately running into one from the opposing side and attempting to render them unconscious. You know, Penny, I really don't understand what you find so appealing about the game." Penny had no words for that. As usual, he had managed to completely misunderstand what she had said, and completely changed the topic. "No, Sheldon, I mean what would you consider us? And don't you dare say homo sapiens or humans or whatever! You know what I mean!" she warned, looking almost menacing. Sheldon, however looked proud. It was a look Penny had only rarely seen on her father's face. "Impressive, Penny. It seems as though spending time with me has rubbed off on you." Penny smiled. "In any case, however, as an answer to your poorly worded sentence, I would have to classify us to be in a, and I'm sorry but I don't know how else to phrase this as I really have no experience in the matter, girl/boy/not quite dating status." Her face, which had fallen as soon as he had said "poorly", once again had a smile on it. Leave it to Sheldon to put a smile on her face after insulting her. She was surprised to actually hear him say the word "dating" even if it had the words "not quite" in front of it. She had grown used to masking her true feelings for Sheldon, and during that time she had convinced herself slightly that he had basically no feelings that went beyond love for his work or his feelings for his friends. Of course she knew he felt hate, Leslie Winkle, Kripke and Wil Wheaton proved that for her, but hate wasn't really what she had in mind when she said "feelings". Either way, she was incredibly happy, and she felt she could've kissed him right there, but she wasn't going to get ahead of Sheldon.

_\|/_

Leonard had the answer. The guilt had gotten to him so much, he simply couldn't live with it. So while Penny and Sheldon were doing laundry, he packed. He only packed the essentials: some clothes, underwear, toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, his spare glasses, shoes, socks and the like. He figured Sheldon would let him come back to get the rest of his belongings after he found a place to live. He also quickly wrote a note to Penny, explaining where the camera was and why it was still there. He also mentioned that Sheldon would most likely know where it was and how to remove it.

_Dear Penny,_

_The guilt of what I have done has become too much, and I am leaving. I don't know where yet, but most likely I'll stay with my mother, which is my only option at this point, until I find a place of my own. _

_Anyway, more to the point, I hope you and Sheldon are happy together, even though it may not have seemed like it at times, because I haven't. I never got over you, but now realise that you and I will never work out. I am sorry for what I have done in the recent past, and hope you will someday forgive me._

_Yours sorrily,_

_Leonard_

_PS-There is still a camera in your apartment. I forgot to take it out when I did the others, and only just remembered it. It is right next to your fridge, attached to the wall at the top-back-left hand side. In case that didn't make any sense, Sheldon probably knows where it is and how to remove it. _

He folded the letter in half and picked up his bag. Walking over to the door, he almost felt like tearing the letter and unpacking again, but this time his decision was final, and he would have to live with the consequences. Forcing himself forward, he dropped his key in the bowl by the door, opened the door, and walked out a few steps. He bent down at Penny's door, and pushed the letter through the gap. He checked the time on his phone. 8:30. Penny and Sheldon would be up soon, and he didn't want to run into them on his way out. He hurried to stand, feeling slightly dizzy, but persevered and all but ran down the stairs. He started his car and began the long trip to his mother. He then realised there was a much easier option. He would stay with Leslie. Although they didn't get on great, he could surely use the excuse of "you owe me" under the fact that she destroyed his friendships, and used him as a "Friend with Benefits". If he said it would only be for a few days or weeks, she would probably still say no, but it was worth a shot. He was glad he hadn't called his mum (_AN-I'm not American, so I don't use the "o", it isn't a mistake, just the way I was taught) _as he turned the car towards Leslie's apartment.

_\|/_

Penny and Sheldon walked in sync, up the stairs that evening. She had instinctively grabbed his arm and linked it through hers, and although he looked repulsed at first, he quickly adjusted and, surprisingly, left his arm there. It was a Laundry Night miracle. They didn't speak; they had nothing to talk about, but they were comfortable in the silence. They were balancing their baskets of washing with both of their hands, though most of the weight was on the free hand, so they were slightly uncomfortable physically, but it was barely noticeable. They reached their apartment floor, and went their separate ways. They didn't speak, just unlinked their arms and left. They had made arrangements for later that night anyway, and would see each other in only a few minutes. Sheldon opened his apartment door. He noticed nothing unusual, just that it seemed empty. He assumed Leonard had gone out somewhere, most likely a bar of some sort, and thought nothing of it. He moved to his bedroom so he could put away his clean laundry, when he heard Penny call his name. He didn't want to leave his laundry on his bed where it currently lay, but Penny called again, so he left it and half ran to her apartment, stopping only to open the door,

_\|/_

Penny had walked into her apartment, washing in hand, well, basket in hand, and had noticed a piece of paper on the floor next to her door. She put the washing on her couch and bent to pick up the note. She gasped and needed to sit down, but her laundry was on the couch. Instead she collected herself and called Sheldon. He didn't come, so she called again. He came running in that strange way of his. "What's wrong?" he asked, making sure she wasn't hurt. She saw his expression change to relief when he realised she was fine; then he saw the note she was holding. "It's from Leonard," she explained. He took the note from her hands slowly and read it, twice. He walked over to the fridge and removed the camera in less than a minute. He dumped it in the bin, with a touch of anger in his movements and expression. She wasn't sure what he was angry about. Was it Leonard leaving a camera up, Leonard leaving, or her reaction to him leaving? Or all three? She wasn't sure what she was feeling, there was feelings of sadness, anger, happiness, and love that would surface and disappear, then rise again. She wasn't a genius, but she knew that Leonard had left, and it was her fault. No, said a flash of anger, Leonard had left because he was weak. He couldn't handle her dating, or almost dating, Sheldon of all people. Then her anger subsided, and she felt calm as an arm reluctantly wrapped around her. She smiled, taking the chance to do something she'd always wanted to do. Her confused state of emotion changed again, and she started to cry, and she cried into Sheldon's chest. She felt his move away, but she put an arm around him to stop him from moving anywhere, and even though he struggled, he couldn't pull out of her grasp. Again, her feelings changed, and she laughed. She laughed at the fact that Sheldon, a male twice as tall as her, couldn't get away. She dried her tears and looked up to Sheldon. "So, should we continue with our plans? Movie and popcorn?" she asked. Sheldon was looking at his tear-stained shirt, but nodded. Penny got up and started to get the popcorn out. She could see the spot where Leonard had hidden that camera. It was a bit above her eye level, maybe 2 inches above her head, and realised that she hadn't seen it, because she had trusted Leonard, and, not only that, she had never looked above her head in the kitchen that week, or at least not near the fridge. She felt stupid and ashamed, two more feelings to add to that night's list. She was just about to open the popcorn packet when Sheldon spoke. "Penny, do you think we should invite Howard and Raj over?" She was a bit surprised at his question.

"Why?"

"Because they have a right to know that Leonard is gone. They were his friends as well," he pointed out. He made a good point, even if it was strange that Sheldon was caring for Howard and Raj now, perhaps she was getting through to him. "Sure sweetie, you can invite them over, but could you invite Amy and Bernadette to the list? They might feel left out if they aren't invited." Sheldon shook his head.

"Amy isn't a fan of brilliant Sci-Fi movies, and I believe Howard may have mentioned something about Bernadette being under quarantine again," Sheldon said with derision. Penny almost laughed again, but held it in. "Okay, then how about you call them while I take a shower?" Sheldon nodded in agreement, and walked back out of the apartment. She knew he was going to do his laundry first, but figured that was just an excuse for a longer shower.

_\|/_

Leonard had convinced Leslie to let him stay with her, and had already found an apartment that was available. It was small, but he would have no room-mate and it wasn't far. In fact it was only a floor below Leslie's, so he wouldn't have too much trouble moving his belongings from apartment 4A. He had talked with the current resident, and discovered that no-one else was interested in it, because it was small. He had said people these days wanted more space than they needed. Tomorrow, he would talk to the building manager and ask to move in to the apartment. Another good thing was that he wouldn't have to live with Leslie for long, and the next apartment was rather cheap. Maybe things would turn out alright after all. In fact, he was going to get changed and go to a bar right then. Hopefully he would meet a girl and forget about Sheldon and Penny and the disaster he had created for himself.

* * *

_AN- So yeah... How is it? PLEASE tell me, because it took me ages to finish this one and I appreciate it if you can review after reading. Feedback, suggestions and constructive criticism welcome! (If you have a flame, please turn it into concric). Also, I realise some of you may think Leonard shouldn't have left, but bare with me. He will still be in the story and it will actually make it a lot more interesting. If I must, I'll give an incentive to review… review, and I'll give you a hint about something that will most likely be coming… (Oh yeah, that's the "present"). _

_Oh, while I remember, please check out my new Shamy fic "Never be Alone", and visit the forum "Shamy Shippers Here" (Yeah, I know, lame name. Let me know if you have a better suggestion). I'm looking for moderators at the moment. _

_Thank-you for being so supportive!_

_-Maddy_

* * *

AN (2)- So, recently, I received some flames from some readers. In case you (Lisa and Ms. G) are reading this, I have some replies for you here, seeing as I couldn't PM you.

Lisa: Penny is not a dumb character! She DOES desire to be with Leonard, as clearly shown in the TV show, and, perhaps I should've started with this, if you don't like the story, or Penny, don't read it! You reviewed chapter 6, which kind of implies you read it all, so please think about that.

Ms G.: I, in fact, am actually kind of a geek, and I love Star Wars. I have also seen every episode of The Big Bang Theory shown so far, and understand the characters fairly well. I known Sheldon loves Star Wars, but doesn't really like the latest George Lucas films. ("Sheldon loves Star Wars but thinks the latest stuff by George Lucas is not so good." From the wikia, which is very true) He also states that in an alternate universe (which sounds more like his idea of a perfect world) the Phantom Menace would be an all-time classic. As an added note, he even bought Star Wars pyjamas! Clearly showing he likes Star Wars! So I do know what I am talking about, thank-you. Also, I don't think that little comment is a reason to stop reading this story. For all you know, I may actually have made a tiny mistake, but the rest is absolutely fantastic. I'm sure if you made a mistake (this is hypothetical, by the way), lots of people would still keep reading, and simply point it out politely.

By the way, to the both of you if you are reading this, this is not necessarily "true". It could be AU, OOC etc.

I don't mean either of these replies as an attack or anything, rather as an expression of my opinion, as you shared yours. I thank the both of you for your reviews, but suggest that you maybe check your facts before sharing. If you have any further comments, and this applies to anyone with flames, I request that you either PM me or leave a signed review, so that I may PM you, and not have to use my AN (where I post questions, requests and other important messages) to explain my point of view. Thank-you.


	8. Chapter 8

_AN- Hello everyone! I'm so sorry for keeping you all waiting so long! I had school and sport and I just couldn't find the time to write, but here it is! The most romantic one yet, and probably the best for now. Please enjoy!_

_-Maddy_

_Disclaimer- I do not own The Big Bang Theory, sadly._

Sheldon walked out of Penny's apartment, saying he would call Howard, Raj, Amy and Bernadette, but really he just wanted to put his laundry away. He wandered into his room, slightly upset that Leonard had left. They were best friends after all! _Were_, they were friends, until he had hurt Penny. He had crossed a line, which had left him with no choice but to declare war. He was tempted to do it too, but thought that violence was, most of the time, not the answer; with the exception being that wrong is always spelt wrong. He laughed at his joke; he always had found it humorous.

He hurriedly put away his clean laundry, making sure it was all perfectly neat, then pulled out his phone and called Howard first, seeing as he could make calls to two people, instead of just one, which would save him time. Howard picked up after ten rings, "Hello?" he asked shortly.

"Yes, Howard, this is Sheldon," he stated.

"Yes Sheldon? What do you want?" his voice had changed instantly, from curious to bored.

"Penny and I are watching a movie tonight."

"Aaahh… what movie are you watching?" Howard asked. Sheldon's expression, although Howard couldn't see, was confused after this. "Well I don't see how that has anything to do with the statement; no, we were wondering whether or not you would like to join us? We have some news." There was no reply on the other end for a minute. "Yep, sure, I'll be right over," Howard said quickly.

"Oh, and Howard, could you ask Raj and Bernadette as well?"

"Wow, it must be some pretty big news then. Yep, sure, I can call Raj, but Bernadette is under quarantine again."

"Okay, thank-you Howard," Sheldon said with a smile as he hung up. He called Amy after, but she didn't answer, so he left her a message, inviting her to join them that night, but he doubted she would, she wasn't the free spirit he was.

Penny hopped out of the shower when she heard Sheldon walk through into her apartment. She had been listening specifically for his footsteps so that she would know when to get out. After drying herself off, she quickly threw on the clothes she had carefully placed on her sink. She ran a brush through her slightly wet hair quickly, and left it down in soft waves, figuring Sheldon wouldn't care and she could do it up later, while he chose a movie, God only knows how long it would take him.

"Hi sweetie," she said with ease, something she wouldn't have imagined being able to do only a year ago. "Did you call Howard, Raj, Bernadette and Amy?" She sat down on her couch, on the left side, of course.

"Yes, I extended an invitation to Howard, who, in turn, claimed he would invite Raj. I also called Amy, but she was unable to answer, so I left an invitational message." Penny nodded, unsure of what to say next. "Penny? Do we have some 'big news'?" Sheldon asked. Penny shot up in her seat, having started to lie down. "What? Sheldon, why on Earth would you think that?" The way he had said it had implied, to her ears, that he thought they were having a child. "Because, when I told Howard that we had some news, he went silent momentarily, then made a comment about 'big news' when I asked him to call Raj and Bernadette. I found it odd, seeing as they only news we have isn't very big, nor is it surprising."

Penny sighed with relief when she realised Sheldon didn't think she was pregnant, but it was short-lived, as she realised who did… "Sheldon, I think that Howard thought that I was pregnant. That's usually what couples mean when they tell someone they have 'news', especially news that involves all of their friends. It's either that or he thinks we're getting married," she explained, now trying to hold back laughter. Only Sheldon, the smartest person she knew, would need to have this explained to him.

Sheldon had gotten that look on his face when he realised something. The faraway look that meant he was processing something. The one that was usually accompanied by an "Ohhh." This time she couldn't hold it in, and she started laughing.

Howard and Raj turned up ten minutes later. Raj had clearly been drinking, because as soon as Penny had opened the door she heard "girl or boy?" She laughed.

"Come on in guys." They followed her in, Raj with a big, goofy grin on his face. Howard looked around, trying to look casual about it, but failing. "You know you really ought to look at getting a bigger place, Penny. I mean, there's not much room for a kid in here." Penny didn't laugh at this, it was Howard, and he had made fun of her apartment, the one she could barely pay the rent for. "Okay, listen up, I am not pregnant-" she was cut off when Howard started humming the Wedding March, "and we're not engaged either." Raj and Howard exchanged a confused glance at this, in the silence. Raj was the one to break it, "So… what's the big news then?" Penny couldn't handle it, and broke down. Raj was confused even more now, but mixed in with worry as well. He couldn't think how what he had said could make Penny cry. Sheldon moved closer to Penny, putting an arm around her. Penny turned and cried into his shoulder. Sheldon, with Penny crying on him, still managed to say, "Leonard left."

It was a rather awkward moment for Sheldon Cooper, the world's greatest mind. His… girlfriend was crying on his shoulder, his two friends were in shock, and he had no idea what to do. Usually a million things were running through his mind, but at that moment, there was only one, well, two, but the second one wasn't a major concern for him. Penny. That was all he could think about, save for that tiny, almost non-existent part that was worried about Raj and Howard. Was she okay? Of course not, the rational part of his brain told him. The tears soaking your shoulder are proof of that. But what if they were just caused by all of the stress and anxiety she was dealing with lately? Eventually, all of the emotions she had tried to hide had to escape, and telling her friends that Leonard, the uncanny traitor he was, had left them derelict, was the last straw. Either way, Penny was hurting, and that hurt him, even though he wouldn't show it. He had to remain strong.

They watched the start of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, but it reminded Penny too much of Leonard. She ended up walking into her bedroom and crying. She heard Sheldon apologise to Howard and Raj, telling them to leave, and felt both a lot better and a lot worse. Sheldon stuck by her, no matter what, but she had ruined his, their, night.

She spent the next five minutes in the bedroom, alone, trying to stop crying. She kept expecting Sheldon to walk in, but he didn't. He was still in the apartment; she could see him through the door. Surprisingly, he was in the kitchen, no doubt cleaning up. Eventually, she stopped crying, she knew she looked horrible, but she didn't care. She just walked out of her room and stood next to, or behind, Sheldon. The man she was falling in love with.

He wasn't cleaning up, well he was, but only because he had been cooking. Spaghetti, of course. It wasn't that late, but they ate anyway. It wasn't chocolate, or ice-cream, or even alcohol, but it comforted her. The spaghetti reminded her of that time they had had dinner after she and Leonard had broken up, but that wasn't the comforting part, no. The comforting part was that Sheldon was there. He hadn't left her, he'd stayed.

They ate in silence for a while, just sitting and eating. It was nice, but Sheldon broke it. "Penny, I've been thinking… Well, you and I are what most would call, a couple, and, well, Howard's remark about your apartment before got me thinking. It's been a little eerie in my apartment with Leonard gone, and you can hardly pay your rent, so, I was thinking… would you like to come and live with me?"

Penny was speechless. Sheldon Cooper had asked her to move in with him! He had called them a couple! And he hadn't added a 'Bazinga'. He was expecting an answer, so she just nodded. Without a second thought or any debate, she nodded.

_AN- So there you have it! I'll try to update soon, I already have an idea formulated. Hope you liked the new formatting, if a change was noticeable. _

_You know what to do! Please review! No flames please! If you have a problem, phrase it as a question, PM me, or leave a signed review so I can answer you. Thank you! (A little hint, by the way, more reviews makes me want to update quicker). Oh, and there's a poll on my profile. I'll be taking it down at the end of the month, so check it out!_

_-Maddy_


	9. Chapter 9

**AN-ATTENTION! Please read the ending Author's Note! Thank you!**

_So… I had a really good idea for the next chapter, so I sat down and wrote it. I was going to wait a little, but I love it so much that I'm just going to share it with you now. Hope you enjoy!_

_Disclaimer- I do not own the Big Bang Theory, nor do I own the images found at the bottom._

* * *

Leonard had found his own place, not far from the university, and on the opposite side to his old friends. He figured his absence had been celebrated, what with his behaviour, which had caused the whole mess. He didn't sit with his friends, well, former friends, anymore, nor did he talk to them, but he thought about them. It was hard not to when he saw them sitting together in the cafeteria, laughing and getting frustrated with Sheldon as he used to. He noticed Penny there sometimes too, sitting with Sheldon, holding his hand under the table, thinking nobody would see.

He knew they had moved in together, that Penny had taken his place in the apartment, and it had bothered him at first, but he knew now that they were happier without him. They were happier together. He thought back to where he had gone wrong. Was it the cameras? Was it when he had yelled at her? Or was it even before then? When he had tried to get her to change her beliefs or go back to college? Maybe if he'd just loved her for who she was instead of trying to change her, they would be together. She would've chosen him over Sheldon.

But what he had done was irreversible. He had no time-machine, or any means of making one. He couldn't go back and do it over. What he had done was done.

* * *

******************ONE YEAR LATER******************

When he received the invitation, he couldn't believe it.

_Miss Penelope Sarah Carlisle  
and  
Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper __**  
**__request the pleasure of your company__  
__at their marriage__  
__at Neighbourhood Church of Pasadena, Pasadena,  
on Saturday 17__th__ of September,  
At 2 o'clock pm._

_R.S.V.P  
4A, 2311 Los Robles Ave,  
Pasadena  
California  
Tel: 626-744-8462_

He had to read it 4 times before he was sure he'd read it right. It did say Penelope and Sheldon, and it did say marriage. Leonard didn't know whether to be more surprised at the fact that they were actually getting married, or the fact that they had invited him. They hadn't spoken in a year, after that horrible incident he'd caused. They'd moved on. He'd found new friends, started dating another woman, Rebecca, and they were happy, but there had always been a little part of him that missed those days.

Without even thinking about the consequences, he picked up the phone and dialled the number on the invitation. He was going to the wedding.

* * *

******************17****th**** of September******************

Penny was ready in her dress, about to walk down the aisle to Sheldon. Her hair was done up in an elegant updo, with tendrils falling around her face, and she wore a beautiful green dress. She and Sheldon had decided not to go with the traditional white scheme that usually goes with a wedding. They had had a bit of difficulty choosing between green and yellow, after she had looked up the meanings of the colours, but Sheldon wanted green, saying it matched her eyes, and yellow was too bright and clashed with her hair. Her dress was indescribable, really. Whenever someone asked her about the dress, she couldn't describe it. It was light green, but with a transparent medium green over the top, and flowers near the hip. Her bouquet had orchids, tulips, protea and cestrum in yellows and greens. Her father took her arm as her cue came, and she was lead down the aisle to Sheldon.

They'd decided on an outdoor wedding at the church, during autumn, so the leaves on the trees were starting to change colour and fall. She noticed her guests staring at her; she noticed Amy and Bernadette standing at the altar, and Howard and Raj behind the only person she had eyes for, Sheldon. He wore a tuxedo with a green shirt underneath his jacket, and had a green coloured flower pinned onto it. As soon as she saw him, all of the nervousness she had been feeling went away, and instead, she felt like the happiest person in the world.

* * *

Leonard sat at the back of the crowd; he didn't want to ruin the wedding by being seen. He felt like he was intruding, like he shouldn't be here.

Even after a year, he hadn't completely gotten over Penny. There was still a small part of him that hoped, but seeing her at the wedding, in her beautiful green dress, smiling so happily at Sheldon, that did it. He knew there was no hope for them, and that was okay. That day was the happiest day for a lot of people, he realised. He'd finally moved on, and he could be 100% with Rebecca, not wondering what could happen.

He stayed for the entire ceremony, and almost cried when they read the vows. He noticed little things, like the way they held each other's hands throughout the whole thing, the way they looked at one another, and the way they smiled. They were happy, and so was he.

* * *

Leonard had come after all. Sheldon had doubted he would, but he had. He spoke to them after the ceremony, something he hadn't expected. "Sheldon, Penny, congratulations, for one. I realise now that I was wrong to do what I did to you. You belong together, and I see that now. I'm sorry." Sheldon went to speak, but Leonard continued. "Penny, I just want you to know that I'm sorry. I see now that there's no chance for us to ever be together. I should never have tried to change you, or force you out of happiness for my own sake. I just hope you can forgive me." He spoke the last bit to both Sheldon and Penny. Sheldon was about to tell him to forget it. What he had done was terrible, and couldn't be forgiven, but Penny spoke up. "Swe- Leonard, I forgave you a long time ago. What you did was wrong, yes, but it all worked out in the end, didn't it? Truthfully, it was partly my fault too. I led you on, I went out with you, but really, all I wanted was Sheldon. For that I'm sorry. I'm glad you could make it today, I really am." She smiled at him, but Sheldon didn't. He didn't say anything, until he got a nudge from Penny. "Leonard, what you did was malevolent, and I'm not sure I can forgive you, but if Penny's happy, then I'm happy. I would be delighted to try to mend our friendship, but until you prove yourself, I won't be able to completely trust you. I'm sorry Leonard."

He didn't stay around, he couldn't. He went off to find his mother, they hadn't spoken yet, which would probably earn him a bit of an earful from her, but Penny was by his side, so it didn't matter; nothing did, she was there.

* * *

They left for their honeymoon that night. Penny had changed out of her wedding dress for the flight to Switzerland. She'd laughed when Sheldon suggested it, remembering that one Valentine's Day they'd spent together, sick in their apartment, instead of with Leonard in Switzerland. They hadn't had to discuss it any further.

They weren't staying long, only a month, as Sheldon had to get back to work, and Penny had finally landed an acting job on a new TV series. All had worked out in the end, Penny smiled. She laid her head on Sheldon's shoulder and closed her eyes as the plane took off, with her hand resting gently on her stomach. For that moment, everything was perfect.

* * *

_AN- And this is where I leave you. I had plans for another chapter (I'm sure most of you can guess what about), but it felt right to end it here. So, I think I'm going to write a sequel to this, instead of another chapter. _

_Also, I'm thinking about writing about the wedding in another story, maybe. What do you think? Whether or not I get time to write it is another question, though. _

_Thanks all for being so supportive with this story! _

_Remember to review! I'll be quite sad if I don't get many for this chapter. ;)_

_-Maddy_

* * *

Now, for anyone who's interested, here are the images of the wedding dress and bouquet I used when writing this. Tell me what you think!

.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQI-zXbUDArtD48Mlj-BB_VhemWq8CfRfvJnzKWjvZ0z6o6ROd (Penny's dress)

.com/images?q=tbn: (Penny's bouquet)


End file.
